Drapery holder

ABSTRACT

A drapery holder for holding drapery material in a pleated fashion spaced from a support surface such as a wall or window molding. A holder for supporting the material in pleated fashion is spaced from a support bracket with the material being pleated within the space. The support bracket has an upper support surface for supporting the return material extending toward the wall to enclose the bracket and to provide an enclosure between the holder and wall for concealing traverse rods placed between the holder and the wall.

United States Patent n 1 Falkenberg DRAPERY HOLDER {75] Inventor: Douglas R. Falkenberg, Rocky River, Ohio [73] Assignee: Douglas Manufacturing Co., Inc.,

Elyria Ohio [22] Filed: Apr. 25, I974 [21] Appl. No.: 464,038

52 us. Cl. i. 160/348; 24/73 CH 5| Int. 0 A47h 13/l4 [58] Field of Search 24/73 CH; 160/348, 330

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Falkcnbcrg l6U/348 LaKashok lfiO/330 [451 Aug. 26, 1975 1545523 I2/l970 Falkcnbcrg 160/348 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney Agent. or FirmAlan N. McCartney [57] ABSTRACT A drapery holder for holding drapery material in a pleated fashion spaced from a support surface such as a wall or window moldingv A holder for supporting the material in pleated fashion is spaced from a support bracket with the material being pleated within the space. The support bracket has an upper support sur face for supporting the return material extending toward the wall to enclose the bracket and to provide an enclosure between the holder and wall for concealing traverse rods placed between the holder and the wall.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DRAPERY HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The drapery holder of this invention is of the general type illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,545,523. This type of drapery holder is secured to brackets mounted either on the molding or trim surrounding a door or window opening or the wall surface adjacent the opening. The drapery holder is positioned on a bracket in spaced relation from the wall and retains drapery material in pleated fashion spaced from the wall surface and surrounding the opening to be decorated. The resulting material provides a drape or valance about the openmg.

It is desirable in certain situations to provide, between the drape or valance and the wall surface, a single or plurality of traverse rods carrying curtains adapted to be drawn across the opening. A plurality of stacked traverse rods are often provided to give a variety of different types of curtains readily available to be drawn across the opening to vary the decorative effect. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose and object of this invention is to provide a drapery holder and support bracket combination in such a relationship that pleated drapery material may be retained in the drapery holder in spaced relation from the wall surface with a portion of the drapery material being retained on the drapery holder support bracket adjacent the wall surface. The drapery material between the drapery holder and the wall surface which is supported on the bracket is called a return. In view of the resulting spaced relationship of the drapery holder from the wall surface, the return provides an en closure in which a plurality of traverse rods carrying curtains can be placed. The resulting enclosure conceals the traverse rods.

FIG. 1 is illustrative of the use of the drapery holder of this invention and supporting a drape or valance about a window opening.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the drapery holder of this invention.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the drapery holder of this in' vention.

FIG. 5 is a modification illustrating the use of a pin between the top finger of the holder and the support bracket.

FIG. 6 is a modification of the adjustable connection between the bracket and the holder.

Attention is now directed to the drawings which illus trate in FIG. I a typical application of the draper holder 12 of this invention retaining drapery material 14 is pleated fashion about a window 10. Between the drapery material and the wall surface would normally be positioned a single or plurality of traverse rods carrying curtains which can be drawn across the window open ing. lfa plurality oftraverse rods are used in stack fashion, then different types of curtains may be used to vary the decor.

The drapery holder I2 has a plurality of fingers l6 integrally formed with a decorative face 20. The fingers I6 are rounded at I8 at their ends and are spaced at 22 for receipt of pleats of drapery or valance material in pleated fashion. The rounded ends or smooth surface IX of the fingers l6 facilitate insertion of the drapery material and prevent concentration of stress on the material. Further. the fingers are disposed with respect to each other in a concave fashion to give a transverse arcuate shape to the pleats of the material to aid in appearance.

The drapery holder 12 is retained on the wall surface or molding 24 by a support bracket 26. The upper portion 28 of the bracket 26 has a wall attaching portion 30 adapted to be retained on the wall surface or molding by screws 32 or in any conventional fashion. The wall attaching portion 30 is twisted or angularly dis posed with respect to the upper portion 28 of bracket 26 to angularly dispose the drapery holder 12 to aid in the decorative effect of the drapery holder and to as sure that the side portions of the drape or valance hang downwardly.

The upper portion 28 of bracket 26 has a wall piece 36 and drapery holder piece 38 adjustable with respect to each other. Wall piece 36 is slotted at 40 and holder piece 38 has a plurality of openings 42 for receipt of locking screws 43 t0 adjustably position portion 36 with respect to 38 and vary the distance of the bracket 26 and drapery holder 12 from the wall surface, depending upon installation requirements.

The bracket 26 has a downwardly extending portion 44 facing fingers l6 and angularly disposed leg 46 providing an adjustable attachment of the support bracket with the drapery holder. Such adjustable securing means at 48 comprises the bottom portion 50 of drap ery holder 12 having a flat surface 51 resting on leg 46. A clip 52 is disposed on the opposite surface of leg 46 and a threaded locking screw 54 passes upwardly through clip 52 through a slotted opening 55 in leg 46 and is threaded into bottom portion 50 of holder 12. In this fashion, the holder can be moved toward or away from the downward portion 44 of support bracket 26 to facilitate insertion of drapery material of varying thicknesses into the space between the downward portion 44 of support bracket 26 and fingers I6 during the pleating operation.

The uppermost finger 16 contains an upper surface 56 which is flat and supports the uppermost pleat of the material. Also carried on the uppermost finger is a clip 58 to retain the uppermost pleat. Passing downwardly through opening 62 in the fingers is a pin 61 to retain the pleated material within the fingers. The uppermost portion of the drapery material is disposed underneath clip 58 and is drawn across the top or upper portion 28 of bracket 26 and extends to the wall surface to provide a return 60. The return 60, along with the material retained between the fingers 16 provides an enclosure at the top and sides of the drape or valance in which traverse rods supporting curtains can be hidden from view. It, thus, can be seen with this arrangement of parts that only the drape or valance and curtains, along with the decorative face 20 of the drapery holder I2 is visible to the viewer.

Also, through the adjustable feature on the upper portion 28 of the bracket 26, the entire drapery holder can be moved toward or away from the wall surface, depending upon the amount of space required for the traverse rods and curtains.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 5, which shows a modification of the co-operation between the drapery holder and support bracket which provides lateral sta bility to the drapery holder as well as additional drapery material retention means. The top finger 63 carries a pin 65 in an opening 64. After the material is pleated between fingers 16, the material is passed over pin 65; and by means ofthe adjustable attaching means 48, the holder is moved toward the bracket and the pin 65 is passed through an opening 66 in the portion 44 of the bracket 26. In this fashion, additional material retention means is provided as well as providing another connection between the drapery holder and the bracket, giving additional stability to the drapery holder FIG. 6 discloses a modification of the adjustable attaching means 48 in which the lower portion 67 of the drapery holder 12 is a one-piece construction and is slotted at 68 to receive the leg 46 of the bracket 26. The leg 46 is slotted at 69 and a screw 70 is threaded upward through lower portion 67 passing through the slot 69 of leg 46 and is threaded at 7] into the opposite side of the slot 69 of portion 67. In this fashion, a modi fled adjustable connection is provided between the drapery holder and the bracket.

Additionally, means can be provided to retain the material return adjacent the wall or molding. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a clip 73 can be placed between the wall attaching portion 30 of bracket 26 and retained by screws 32 passing there through. The clip 73 has a leg with an opening positioned adjacent the wall attaching portion and a pin 74 is adapted to pass through the return material 60 and through the opening in clip 73 to retain the return adjacent the wall surface or molding.

Another means can also be provided to secure the return adjacent the wall surface. The rear twisted portion 34 of the wall piece 36 can be provided with an opening 72 through which a pin can be placed to secure the return of the material adjacent the wall surface.

As illustrated in the drawing and described above, the combination holder and bracket and disposition of the bracket through downward portion 44 and upper portion 28 of the bracket 26 provides a means to retain the return of the drapery material and provide an enclosure in which traverse rods can be hidden.

1 claim:

I. A drape or valance holder adapted to be secured to a wall surface for retaining material adjacent a window or wall opening which provides a concealed space between the holder and the wall surface comprising:

a. a holder having a plurality of means for retaining the material in a predetermined decorative fashion;

b. a bracket adapted to be secured to a wall surface in spaced relation therefrom;

c. a connection means between said holder and said bracket positioning said holder in spaced relation from said bracket;

d. said holder material retention means facing toward said bracket with the material adapted to be positioned within the space between the holder and bracket; and,

e. the connection means between the holder and bracket coacting to permit material to pass over the bracket and toward the wall surface to enclose the space between the bracket and wall surface.

2. The drape or valance holder of claim wherein said bracket is adjustable to permit variance in the spacing of the bracket from the wall surface.

3. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein the connection means is adjustable to vary the spacing between the holder and bracket.

4. The drape or valance holder of claim 3 wherein said connection means comprises a leg on said bracket having a slot therein and coacting with a surface on the holder, and a clip and bolt means securing said leg to said holder surface.

S. The drape or valance holder of claim 3 wherein said connection means comprises a leg on said bracket and a slot in said holder adapted to receive said leg and be secured therein.

6. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein said bracket has an upper portion adapted to be secured to the wall surface and a downwardly extending portion adapted to be secured to the lower portion of the holder in spaced relation therefrom.

7. The drape or valance holder of claim 6 wherein the upper portion of the bracket and upper portion of the holder are in spaced relation with the material adapted to pass through said space and over the top of the bracket back to the wall surface to conceal the bracket and the space between the bracket and the wall surface.

8. The drape or valance holder of claim 7 wherein clip means are provided on the upper portion of the holder to retain the material on the upper portion of the holder and conceal same and permit placement of the material on the upper portion of the bracket without removal from the holder material retention means.

9. The drape or valance holder of claim 7 wherein means is provided between the upper portion of the holder and the upper portion of the bracket coacting to retain the material.

10. The drape or valance holder of claim 9 wherein said means comprises a pin carried on the upper holder retention means adapted to receive the material and an opening in the upper portion of said bracket adapted to receive said pin.

11. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein means are provided coacting with the bracket to secure the material adjacent the window or wall opening.

12. The drape or valance holder of claim 11 wherein said means comprises an opening in the bracket adja cent the window or wall opening adapted to receive a pin to secure the material to the bracket adjacent the window or wall opening.

13. The drape or valance holder of claim I! wherein said means comprises a clip retained adjacent the window or wall opening adapted to receive a pin to secure the material adjacent the window or wall opening. 

1. A drape or valance holder adapted to be secured to a wall surface for retaining material adjacent a window or wall opening which provides a concealed space between the holder and the wall surface comprising: a. a holder having a plurality of means for retaining the material in a predetermined decorative fashion; b. a bracket adapted to be secured to a wall surface in spaced relation therefrom; c. a connection means between said holder and said bracket positioning said holder in spaced relation from said bracket; d. said holder material retention means facing toward said bracket with the material adapted to be positioned within the space between the holder and bracket; and, e. the connection means between the holder and bracket coacting to permit material to pass over the bracket and toward the wall surface to enclose the space between the bracket and wall surface.
 2. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein said bracket is adjustable to permit variance in the spacing of the bracket from the wall surface.
 3. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein the connection means is adjustable to vary the spacing between the holder and bracket.
 4. The drape or valance holder of claim 3 wherein said connection means comprises a leg on said bracket having a slot therein and coacting with a surface on the holder, and a clip and bolt means securing said leg to said holder surface.
 5. The drape or valance holder of claim 3 wherein said connection means comprises a leg on said bracket and a slot in said holder adapted to receive said leg and be secured therein.
 6. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein said bracket has an upper portion adapted to be secured to the wall surface and a downwardly extending portion adapted to be secured to the lower portion of the holder in spaced relation therefrom.
 7. The drape or valance holder of claim 6 wherein the upper portion of the bracket and upper portion of the holder are in spaced relation with the material adapted to pass through said space and over the top of the bracket back to the wall surface to conceal the bracket and the space between the bracket and the wall surface.
 8. The drape or valance holder of claim 7 wherein clip means are provided on the upper portion of the holder to retain the material on the upper portioN of the holder and conceal same and permit placement of the material on the upper portion of the bracket without removal from the holder material retention means.
 9. The drape or valance holder of claim 7 wherein means is provided between the upper portion of the holder and the upper portion of the bracket coacting to retain the material.
 10. The drape or valance holder of claim 9 wherein said means comprises a pin carried on the upper holder retention means adapted to receive the material and an opening in the upper portion of said bracket adapted to receive said pin.
 11. The drape or valance holder of claim 1 wherein means are provided coacting with the bracket to secure the material adjacent the window or wall opening.
 12. The drape or valance holder of claim 11 wherein said means comprises an opening in the bracket adjacent the window or wall opening adapted to receive a pin to secure the material to the bracket adjacent the window or wall opening.
 13. The drape or valance holder of claim 11 wherein said means comprises a clip retained adjacent the window or wall opening adapted to receive a pin to secure the material adjacent the window or wall opening. 